Hey, we fought a war over this shit.

You grew up in poverty? Okay. There's still a distinct difference in how one's treated by society (and once again this is from an American point of view) based on one's skin color, regardless of whether it's intentional. Systemic racism is a very real thing, which makes sense considering that racial segregation was and always will have been an ingrained part of the American character.

I can't speak to how it is in the UK, but I can assure you that all things being equal, a poor black guy is going to have a rougher time of it than a poor white guy. I'm an American. I refer to myself as an American, unless there are situations where racial characteristics are relevant. If you aren't white, you're reminded of it over and over again in a variety of ways, both insignificant and not. That's just how it is, and you can't say that that isn't a real experience that I and many others have every single day.

e: Also, racism isn't simply defined as something that refers to race. "racism" as we use it refers to the use of racial differences for defamatory, hateful, or discriminatory purposes and you know it. It's not racist to acknowledge that somebody is black, or asian, or whatever.

e2: You don't get to decide what is and isn't insulting or appropriate for other people. If somebody wants to be called asian-american or black or even negro (which was on the last US census because there are still some elderly black folk who prefer that term) then so be it.